Improved cultivator



H. LAIRDQ Cultivator.

Patented May 24; 1870.

Witness 08:

Inventor;-

hnr. Washingkm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH LAIRD, OF MEOHAN IGSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVED CULTIVATO R.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 103,476, dated May 24,1870.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known thatl, HUGH LAIRD, of Mechanicsburg, in the county ofCumberland, and in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Gultivators; and do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing, making a part of thisspecification, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved device.Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3 is an elevation of the rear endof the same.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of thefigures.

My invention is an improvement in cultivators; and it consists,principally, in the peculiar construction and attachment of the severalparts of the cultivator, by means of which the relative angles of theside beams can be varied, as is hereinafter shown.

It further consists in combining with said cultivator two scrapers,substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified.

In the annexed drawing, A and A represent two beams, constructed ofeither wood or iron, having their rear ends extended inward foradistance equal to about one-fourth of their length, and at an angle ofabout seventy degrees with the main beams. The beams A and ALareconnected together by means of a crossbar, B, pivoted at its ends to ornear their center, lengthwise, and by means of two arched braces, O andD, the former of which, being provided with two short slotted arms, 0,extendinghorizontally rearward, is attached near the front end of saidbeams by means of bolts 2', passing upward through the same and saidarms, while the other brace, D, is connected to the rear or angularportions, A A, of said beams by means of bolts 61, passing through thesame and through the two horizontal arms d, extending outward from saidbrace. Aclip, a2, formed upon the outer end of each arm, and embracingthe beam,serves to retain each arm in a vertical position while the boltis being changed. The arms (1 of the brace D are provided with a seriesof holes for the reception of the bolt d, in order to allow the rearends of the beams A and A to be adjustedto or from each other; but itwill be readily seen that if a longitudinal slot, passing horizontallythrough said arms, were provided in place of said holes, the same resultwould be attainable. Secured to and projecting outward from the frontend of each beam A and A is a short pin, E, upon which are pivoted thecouplingirons F of the tongue G, said coupling-irons being provided upontheir forward ends with a bolt, j, which, passing through a slot, h,within the cross-bar H, are so secured to the latter by means of a nutupon their outer ends and a shoulder, f, upon their inner ends as topermit of their lateral adjustment, to enable the couplingiron toconform to the width of the front end of the cultivator.

Three shovels, I, are attached to each side beam, in the usual manner,the bolts of those in front and at the center serving to connect thearched brace G and the pivoted cross-bar B to the side beam. Asupplementary shovel, I, is attached to the cross-bar B at or near itscenter, lengthwise, for use in cultivating fallow ground.

K and K represent two scrapers, having the form shown in Figs. 2 and 3,each of which is connected at its forward end to the side beams by meansof a bolt, k, passing through both beam and scraper, and is in a likemanner attached at its rear end to a downward and inward projectingportion, a or a, of the beams A. Two handles, L, secured to the archedbrace D, and from thence curving upward rearward and to the left side,complete the device,

the operation of which is as follows:

For use in cultivating corn the scrapers are secured in place, theshovels I removed, and the beams adjusted to the desired width by meansof the adjustable braces O and D and the adjustable coupling-irons F.The device being caused to straddle a row of corn, and driven forward,the earth upon either side of said row is loosened, and a suflicientquantity turned inward by the scrapers to thoroughly cover the roots.The handles being bent to the left side, the operator is enabled to walkin one of the hollows between the rows of corn, instead of beingcompelled to walk upon or straddle the furrow, as is usually the case.

For use in cultivating fallow ground the scrapers are removed and thecenter shovel, I, restored to place.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The means employed for rendering relatively adjustable the sidebeams, A and A, consisting of the arched braces O and D and bolts d andz, in combination with the pivoted crossbar 13, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

2. Also, the means employed for adapting the tongue to the VariousWidths of the cultivator-frame, consisting of the coupling-irons F,provided with the bolts f, in combination March, 1870.

HUGH LAIRD. Witnesses:

J osnrn LEAS, E. B. BRANDT.

